Good Morning

Woke up to a sick cat and a slushy snowy mess outside. Decided to stay home to monitor the cat. Not sure what is going on with him. He's gone through this before. Gets tummy issues, acts like he has acid reflux, loses weight. He always gets a dry sounding cough with it to.  This time, I am even more concerned, as he has been obsessed lately with drinking from the bathroom sink and thus, urinating a lot more. Can't help but wonder if all the steroids they gave him the last time made him diabetic.  I'm going to refrain from letting him drink from the sink, just to see if the "thirst" is really there.  He doesn't drink from the water dish anymore even though its full. So it makes me wonder. If he hasn't gotten any better this week I'm going to make an appointment with Dr. Sill. I hate putting him through all those tests again just to be told that everything is normal. Whoever said furry babies were easier to raise never met my cats. I wouldn't trade a day with them though. For all the grief I have endured, my joy has been a thousand fold.

Little J and I just chillen out on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

A Good Tired

Have been very busy lately. Between work, helping take care of Wyatt while his mommy recuperates, and holding down my own homestead....it can be quite exhausting.  Hoping things settle down into my normal boring routine soon. I have been very diligent, and dare I say eager, in my meat free endeavors. I am finding it much easier, and almost natural, to make meat free meal choices. The soda/pop monkey is proving much more difficult however. If anyone knows of any tips or tricks for getting off the carbonated caffeine, PLEASE share.

One of my favorite meals to make lately is Boca Macs and Sweet Potato Fries. The fries are McCain's and found in the frozen food section of the grocery store. Boca Macs are Boca All-American Grillers on whole wheat buns with homemade thousand island dressing, lettuce, cheese and onion.  Now, I'm not going to tell you that it tastes exactly like a Big Mac, but for a meat free substitute...it's pretty darn good.

I've been making a lot of homemade stir fries lately too. Lots of fresh veggies and such over brown rice. Haven't made it so far as to try making my own sauces yet but a few tips for quick and tasty stir fries....use the cole slaw (broccoli slaw is my favorite) bagged mix and if your store has it...the salad bar. Pick up some fresh chopped veggies for less than chinese take out. And...a rice cooker is my new favorite invention.  I found a cheapie $10 one at the local pharmacy here...wasn't betting on it to really work and was very surprised when it did.

Chuck E Cheese or Hell On Earth

Little kids are loud. I know that. I expect that. It's what kids do. But hundreds of loud kids and multiple loud games, not to mention loud AND annoying adults, make for a very long afternoon. But, we're over and done with for another year. Thankfully Savanna thinks you can only go to Chuck E. Cheese for birthday parties. I don't know if her dad told her that or not but it does sound like something he would try to con her into believing. I totally do not blame him either.  She had fun though and I love her little group of friends. I've been watching these kids grow since they were 2 and she started daycare with them. I love when they come up to me and hug me and say..."Hi Aunt Sarah."  She got to invite 5 friends and seriously, they are just the sweetest group of kids ever. They're all very affectionate with each other and think nothing of hugging each other or holding hands.  6 year old boys when I was that age most certainly had issues with holding hands with girls.


This is Savanna's birthday cake (and Savanna of course). This looks NOTHING at all like the cake we picked out of the book at the store. I was so mad. Savanna on the other hand, not at all upset. It had the little red plastic locker. She was a happy camper.  That was all that mattered. In the grand scheme of things, it was just a cake and as long as she was happy, who am I to say it wasn't a good cake.

Savanna taking a little down time at Chuck E Cheeses.  I still can't believe she's 6 years old.  She can look so on the verge of being grown and then....a few still moments and there's my chubby cheek, sparkle eyed girl again. So many memories in these first 6 years.  I can't wait to see what the next 6 brings.

Wyatt @ 3 weeks

I've had a guest. Wyatt turned 3 weeks old today and his mommy is in the hospital after an emergency appendectomy.  I guess stuff like that is common after stomach surgeries (c-sections). Wyatt and I had a little portrait session today for his 3 week birthday.  I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like the best. What do you think?

Happy Birthday Savanna

Today my sweet girl turns 6. Since today also happens to be the Super Bowl, and who wants to compete with that, her Daddy and Mommy opted to celebrate next weekend instead. Smart parents. I decided that no 6 year old should have to wait a week for presents and went over and picked her up. We went to the store to pick out her birthday present. Yes, Aunt Sarah is cool like that.  Savanna had her heart set on a Cake Maker.  It's actually more of a cake decorator.  You bake little mini-cakes in silicone pans in the microwave and then decorate them with the awesome decorating tools that come in the Cake Maker.  Looks like a airbrush tool. That could be fun for Savanna and a little frustrating for her parents.  She had to have it though. You see, Savanna is set on having a cake bakery when she is older. She wants to call it Savanna's Cakery.   She loves to help bake, so who knows, maybe that is her calling.
After the store we stopped in at Culver's for a little pre-birthday ice cream sundae. She got hers with Andes Mints, which she swore she loved, and I got one with Heath Bar bits.  After 2 bites, she picked around the mints to get to the hot fudge and when that was done, she "talked" me into trading with her. I figured it was coming. I know her. She doesn't like mint.
When the ice cream was gone, we went next door to Highlander to order her birthday cake for her party next  week.  She was getting a little upset as we looked through the book because all of the cakes were sports or for little kids.  UNTIL---the High School Musical Cake.  We didn't have to even finish looking through the book.  I knew as soon as we turned to that page that was the one she would want.  It was red and yellow and had a little plastic keepsake locker on it that contains stickers and a "yearbook' journal.  There is one thing you need to know about Savanna. For whatever reason, and I have no clue where it came from believe me, the kid is fascinated to the point of obsession with lockers. Strange. I know. But that is my Savanna. From day 1, she's been her own person. Some might call her stubborn but she knows what she wants and she doesn't let anyone tell her any different.
On the ride back to her house, we got into a deep discussion about God and Satan. She told me that Satan makes people do bad things. I explained to her that yes, Satan does give us ideas to do bad things, and encourages us to do bad, but we all have a choice to do or not to do something that is bad or wrong.   I love that she can be the most fun and silly and outrageous kid, and then strap her into her booster seat and she's ready to have deep philosophical conversations.  Her big sister was like that too and I hope the new baby gets that same trait.  It's been a wonderful, crazy, beautiful 6 years and I can't wait to see what the next 6 bring.